Boosting Biosecurity Defences: Royalties for Regions

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The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has been conducting a three and a half-year project to strengthen the State’s biosecurity defences and underpin efforts by industry to capture a share of growing international demand for agriculture and food.

Project background

The $20 million Boosting Biosecurity Defences project is funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program, as part of the Seizing the Opportunity in Agriculture initiative. The project is supported by leveraged funds from Horticulture Australia Limited, Carnarvon Growers Association, the Council of Graingrower Organisations, State NRM, as well as DPIRD in-kind.

Project summary

The project is improving the management of biosecurity risks in WA by:

enhancing surveillance

boosting response and recovery systems

supporting the community to address biosecurity threats.

The wide-ranging project addresses early detection of declared pests and diseases, preparedness to respond to incursions of significant pests and diseases, awareness and compliance with new legislation, community engagement and the adoption of new technology.

These activities will protect the State’s enviable biosecurity reputation, which is crucial to securing access to valuable export markets.

More effective management of regionally significant declared pests through the establishment of five new, self-governing and self-reliant regional groups (Recognised Biosecurity Groups under the BAM Act), and the re-invigoration of five existing Recognised Biosecurity Groups. See sub-projects Transforming regional biosecurity response.

Increased knowledge of the effectiveness of new technology to eradicate the pest Medfly, through piloting the technology in Carnarvon in partnership with the local horticultural industry and community. See sub-project Piloting new techniques for control of fruit fly.

Increased knowledge of the costs, benefits and impacts of a suite of control measures on wild dog predation on livestock production, which may be applied to other regions. See sub- project Evaluation of wild dog control.

Increased knowledge and innovative solutions to better manage significant pests and diseases through an agricultural biosecurity research and development Fund. See sub-project Research and development fund.